WORLD'S AIR FORCES
CM. 170 Magister
T-34C Turbo-Mentor
AS-202A Bravo
CAP-10B/230
KC/C-130H Hercules
Boeing 707-120/320
Do-28D Skyservant
Falcon 20
Falcon 50
Gulfstream II
King Air A100/200C
Broussard
CH-47C Chinook
SA.330C Puma
AB.205A/212
AB.206A/B JetRanger
SA.342L Gazelle
Gendarmerie
Rallye 180GT
SA.330C/G Puma
SA.365N Dauphin
SA.342K Gazelle
Alouette III
SA.315B Lama
22
12
10
2/4
2/15
1/1
2
2
1
1
6/3
6
12
30
45/5
5/12+
24
2
4/2
2
5
2
2
Coin/Training
Training
Training
Aerobatic Team
Tanker/Trans
Trans/Tanker
Coastal Patrol
ECM
VIP
VIP
Comms/Train
Liaison
Transport
Transport
Transport
Liaison
Anti-tank/Coin
Liaison
Transport
Liaison
Liaison
Liaison
Liaison
Mozambique
Forca Popular Aerea de Libertacao de
Mocambique The Government of this Marxist
state continues to conduct a war against
Renamo (MNR) guerrillas. Zimbabwean air
and ground forces are deployed in Mozambique
to assist the Government in its fight. Since the
beginning of 1985 MNR rebels claim to have
shot down almost 30 aircraft, including five
flown by the Air Force of Zimbabwe.
The Mozambique Air Force receives Soviet
aid, and maintains two squadrons of MiG-17F
fighters at Maputo. East German and Cuban
crewed MiG-21s are known to have operated
from bases at Beira and Nacala, but reports of
their subsequent integration into the
Mozambique Air Force cannot be substan
tiated. Also unconfirmed are the 1985 reports of
MiG-23s operating in the country. A VIP
configured Tu-134A, which crashed in October
1986, killing the President, has not been
replaced.
Type No Role
MiG-17F Fresco
MIG-15UTI Midget
Zlin 326
Cessna 152
An-26 Curl
Cessna 182
PA-32 Cherokee Six
Mi-24 Hind
Mi-8 Hip
Alouette III
30+
3
7
5
9
7
4
4
7
3 +
FGA/Int
Training
Training
Training
Transport
Liaison
Liaison
Attack
Assault
Liaison
Nato
Nato AEW Force The eighteenth Boeing
E-3A Sentry airborne warning and control
(Awacs) aircraft arrived at Geilenkirchen, West
Germany, in April 1985, completing Nato's
fleet of E-3As. Funding for the aircraft is
provided by Belgium, Canada, Denmark,
Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the
Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Turkey, and
the USA. To fulfil the dictates of international
law the aircraft wear the insignia of
Luxembourg. Geilenkirchen is the main E-3
operating base, but aircraft deploy regularly to
forward bases in Greece, Italy, Norway, and
Turkey.
Three Boeing 707-320s, bought from Sabena
in 1985, are being converted to Trainer-Cargo
Aircraft (TCA) configuration by Dornier for
service from 1988 as E-3 crew trainers. The
aircraft will have a secondary transport
commitment.
Nepal
Royal Nepalese Air Force The main roles
are Army support and civil asistance. No
combat aircraft are in service. The Royal
Flight's HS748-2A has secondary troop trans
port and paradropping roles.
Type No Role
HS748-2A
Skyvan 3M
AS.332L Super Puma
SA.330C Puma
HAL316BChetak
1
1/2
1
1/1 2
Royal Fit/Trans
Royal Fit/Trans
Royal Flight
Royal Fit/Trans
Liaison
Netherlands
Koninklijke Luchtmacht The Royal Neth
erlands Air Force, which forms part of Nato's
2nd Allied Tactical Air Force, has two main
elements—Tactical Air Command, controlling
all combat units, and the Logistic and Training
Command. In TAC the first F-16 unit, 322
Squadron, became operational in May 1981,
while the second squadron of the Leeuwarden
Wing, 323, completed conversion in 1982 and
was declared operational in April of that year.
The Vokel F-16 wing, 311 and 312 Squadrons in
the strike role and 306 Squadron in the tactical
reconnaissance role, completed conversion in
1985. 323 Squadron at Leeuwarden has an addi
tional conversion training task. Between 1987
and 1992 the NF-5s in service will be replaced
by F-16s. The first NF-5 base to receive F-16s
was Twenthe, where 315 Squadron took charge
of its first aircraft in May 1986. 313 Sqn, also at
Twenthe, will be the next unit to convert,
followed finally by 314 and 316 Squadrons at
the integrated bases of Gilze-Rijen and
Eindhoven. Twenty-four surplus NF-5s have
been sold to Greece. By 1992 all fighter units
will fly F-16s, with a total of 213 delivered or on
order (15 have already been lost). Replacement
of the oldest F-16 aircraft is foreseen around the
year 2000. The Dutch Government favours a
lighter aircraft than the EFA, and has received
US briefings on the developed F-16 Agile
Falcon. The KLu also takes part in the defence
of the Netherlands Antilles, with the F.27
Maritimes of 336 Squadron being tasked with
patrolling the area.
Aircrew training starts in the Netherlands
with the F33C Bonanzas of the Dutch National
Flying School. After this first selection, train-^
ees receive their normal military training and
then continue their flying training either in the
USA or in Belgium. Operational conversion
takes place at Gilze-Rijne for jet pilots. Heli
copter pilots are trained in the USA, with
conversion at Deelen in the Netherlands. The
choice of a successor for the Alouette III heli
copters, for which the A.129 is a strong
contender, is still awaited. Current plans fore
see an initial buy of 20 armed helicopters,
followed by another 30 to 40 more in the early
1990s. The BO.105s are undergoing an update
programme to enhance their low-level, bad-
weather capability.
Integrated into the Nadge air defence system
with KLu combat units is the 32nd Tactical
Fighter Squadron of the USAF, based at
Soesterberg and flying 24 F-15C Eagles under
joint Dutch/US/Nato operational control.
Marine Luchtvaartdienst The Air Service of
the Royal Netherlands Navy operates P-3C
Update II Orion aircraft from Valkenburg. An
order for a further two P-3Cs may be placed
towards the end of the decade. Lynx helicopters
continue in service, operating in the ASW role
from frigates and with a land based SAR/utility
role at De Kooy. Two Air Force F.27 Maritimes,
stationed at Curasao in the Netherlands Antil
les for sea surveillance and SAR duties, come
under Naval command and control.
Type No Role
Air Force
F-16A/B
NF-5A/B
F.27 Maritime
F.27 Friendship 100/300M
B0.105C
Alouette III
Navy
P-3C-II Orion
SH-14B/C Lynx
UH-14A Lynx
172*/27' Strike/Recce/Tr
40/24
2
3/9
28
66
13
8/8
5
Strike/Train
MR/SAR
Trans/Train
AOP/Liaison
AOP/Liaison
MR/ASW
ASW
SAR/Utility
Delivery in progress
New Zealand
Royal New Zealand Air Force New Zeal
and's anti-nuclear policy, which finally led to
its formal expulsion from the ANZUS treaty in
August 1986, was reaffirmed by the re-election
of the Lange Government in mid-1987.
The RNZAF comprises seven operational
squadrons in the strike, maritime, and trans
port roles under the command of an Operations
Group in Auckland. The other main element is
the Support Group at Wigram, responsible for
support and training functions. The RNZAF
headquarters is located in Wellington as part of
a tri-service defence command organisation.
The purchase of ten A-4G/TA-4G Skyhawks
from the Royal Australian Navy in mid-1984
allowed the re-formation of No. 2 Squadron at
Ohakea. The original Skyhawk unit, 75 Squad
ron, is also based at Ohakea. The new squadron
handles A-4 conversion training and the devel
opment of operating procedures, plus tactics
and tactical reconnaissance. The entire
Skyhawk fleet is to be updated and modernised
with new radar, navigation, and attack systems,
in addition to major structural refurbishment
including new wing spars. The first aircraft was
resparred by the US Navy in 1986, and the
remainder will be similarly strengthened by
RNZAF workshops over the next six years. 14
Squadron, again based at Ohakea, operates
Strikemasters on light-attack and training
duties. Some of the Strikemasters are to receive
new wings to remedy fatigue cracks discovered
in 1985. Preliminary evaluation of potential
replacements for service from 1990 has begun,
contenders including the PC-7, PC-9, S.211,
MB.339 and Shorts Tucano.
FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 28 November 1987 73